Glass recycling has been around for many years but recent legislation has driven the need to recycle glass forward. The Packaging Directive, the Aggregates Levy and Constrution and Demolition Waste Targets have all highlighted the need for increased glass recycling. Glass covers a range of materials each with different properties and applications. The principle types are:
- container glass for bottles and jars
- flat glass for glazing
- fibre glass for insulation and reinforcement
Other types include tableware, lighting (e.g. fluorescent tubing) and scientific/technical glassware.
All these types of glass arise in the waste stream and the UK glass manufacturing sector produce all these types.
On average, every family in the UK consumes around 330 glass bottles and jars a year.
Source: British Glass
It is difficult to estimate the tonnages of flat and fiberglass in Wales but 102,620 tonnes of container glass was used in Wales in 2001. Of this figure approximately 10% is currently being recycled.
Email: info@walesenvtrust.org.uk
Documents
- Wales Environment Trust Fact sheet [pdf, 121kb]
In this section:
Services
Products
Links
- British Glass Recycling Information [External Link, New Window]
